Community Conversations Schedule
YCAPS-SPF Community Conversation (Iwakuni)
4 June 2023 – 12:30-15:00 (Japan)
The historic visit of Commodore Matthew Calbraith Perry, Commander of U.S. East India Squadron on 8 July, 1853 marked a real turning point for Japan during the last part of a 600 year long feudal Shogunate reign. In this talk by Admiral Koda, he will look at some of the “behind the curtain” reasons why senior leadership and practical decision makers preferred the open nation policy. Admiral Koda will help to give us a more thorough understanding of some of the lesser known aspects at play behind the scenes during Admiral Perry’s historic visit and how without which, the Shogunate response to Perry’s visit could have been much worse and Japan itself could have fallen into unrepairable national separation.
For more information please see the event page. Registration is required for this event, and can be found here.
YCAPS-SPF Community Conversation Series (Okinawa)
9 June 2023, 17:30 - 19:45 JST
Taiwan and Okinawa have been purportedly among the sites over which great-power security competition is taking place and intensifying, with a likelihood of war in East Asia in the foreseeable future. How can we not only live with, but also think past, Westphalian international relations? In this seminar, Dr. Ching-Chang Chen of Ryukoku University will suggest that it is helpful to “turn international studies around,” i.e. to stop looking at the world only from the territorialized, state-centric, top-down, and great-powers-centered lens. The presentation will show that critical insights can be learned from a bottom-up orientation by turning our attention to the “margins” of sovereign states and excavating the discursive practices employed by relevant state and substate actors in framing, contesting, and (dis)assembling political claims over such “margins” as Okinawa and Taiwan. It will illustrate that post-Westphalian ways of thinking, doing, be(com)ing, and relating are already immanent/available in Okinawa-Taiwan relations.
For more information please see the event page. Registration can be found here.
YCAPS-SPF Community Conversation (Yokosuka)
21 June 2023 – 17:30-19:45 (JST)
In recent years, the military threats posed by China and North Korea are strengthening and changing in nature, leading to more complex implications for Japan. While Japan is taking some important steps in its defense planning under the National Security Strategy, National Defense Strategy, and the Defense Buildup Plan issued last year, Tokyo still faces myriad challenges going forward in sharpening and strengthening its defense strategies and readiness – particularly in the context of joint operations. In this seminar, Dr. Ryo Hinata-Yamaguchi will talk about the current and emerging threats and vulnerabilities for Japan, and more importantly, the key questions in its strategies and defense planning.
For more information please see the event page. Registration can be found here.
YCAPS-SPF Community Conversation (Misawa)
28 June 2023 – 17:30-20:00 (JST)
Dr. Yusuke Anami of Tohoku University, who will lead an exploration of China's military build-up under Xi Jinping. China under the Xi Jinping regime is moving away from democratization and going back to individual dictatorship. Xi's close ties with the PLA is one major factor that allowed the concentration of power. Xi is determined to maintain China's military expansion. How did the PLA contribute to Xi's rise within the Chinese Communist Party? Why is Xi so eager to enhance the capabilities of the PLA? What is the condition of PLA's navy and air force? These are the questions that will be discussed during this talk.
For more information please see the event page. Registration can be found here.
Past Community Conversations
YCAPS-SPF Community Conversations Series (Fussa)
Thurs. May 18 2023 - 17:30 (Japan)
From Europe to East Asia, the U.S. alliance system has been going through major transformation in the past few years. In order to reconcile the challenges for great power rivalry and eroding military dominance, the creation of military power and strategy has increasingly become the central concern in alliance politics. The U.S.-Japan alliance is no exception. Japan unveiled three new security documents in December 2022, including the nation’s first National Defense Strategy that defines Tokyo’s security policy for the coming decade. The seminar will unpack the new documents to illustrate how they focus on enhancing the overall military effectiveness of the alliance by pursuing an integrated and resilient force structure between the two nations. Moreover, it illuminates how Japan’s updated security policy has broader implications on debates over the role of alliances in U.S. grand strategy while also touching upon some of the potential challenges in its implementation.
For more information please see the event page. Registration for the in-person event can be found here.
YCAPS-SPF Community Conversations Series (Sasebo In-Person)
18 April 2023 – 17:30 (Japan)
In recent years, the military threats posed by China and North Korea are strengthening and changing in nature, leading to more complex implications for the US-Japan alliance. In particular, we not only see sharper strategies and greater military readiness by China and North Korea, but also the risks of a simultaneous conflict in the Taiwan Strait and the Korean Peninsula. Focusing on the naval domain, Ryo will talk about the current and emerging threats and vulnerabilities for the US-Japan alliance, and the measures needed going forward.
YCAPS-SPF Community Conversations Series (Fussa In-Person)
22 February 2023 – 18:30 (Japan)
After the end of Cold War, Japan has slowly expanded its security cooperation with countries other than the United States. Over the years, MOD/SDF have seen the benefits of using their assets to advance its strategic objectives, and the recent National Security Strategy has stressed the needs to advance such engagements abroad. This lecture glances at the general trends and characteristics of Japan's defense diplomacy and looks closely at the recent National Security Strategy to understand the future orientations and issues of Japan's defense diplomacy.
YCAPS-SPF Community Conversations Series (Okinawa In-Person)
13 February 2023 – 17:30 (Japan)
Japan unveiled three new security documents in December 2022, including the nation’s first National Defense Strategy that defines Tokyo’s security policy for the coming decade. Observers have described the documents as transformational that marks a critical juncture in Japan’s foreign policy. The question, however, is how so?
The seminar led by Takuya Matsuda will explore this question by unpacking the new documents to illustrate how they focus on enhancing the overall military effectiveness of the alliance by pursuing an integrated and resilient force structure between the two nations. Japan’s updated security policy, in fact, has broader implications on debates over the role of alliances in U.S. grand strategy. The presentation will also touch upon the implications drawn from the new strategy—especially the concept of “deterrence by resilience”—for Okinawa, including how it may relate to Washington’s decision to remove two squadrons of F-15C/D fighters at Kadena Air Base in October 2022.
YCAPS-SPF Community Conversations Series (Iwakuni In-Person)
25 February 2023 – 15:30 (Japan)
Come join us for a presentation on the history of pirates in Japan, with a focus on the nearby Seto Inland Sea. The role and character of pirates differ across regions and eras through history. Although “kaizoku” is often translated to “pirates” in English, pirates and kaizoku are not the same. Like samurai and ninja, kaizoku have a uniquely Japanese history. Mr. Ken Tanaka will teach you about local Japanese history through kaizoku and spread the love of kaizoku around the world.
The Japan-U.S. Alliance and the Senkaku Islands: A Source of Conflict or Strategically Important?
YCAPS-SPF Community Conversations Series (Sasebo In-Person)
31 January 2023 – 18:30 (Japan)
YCAPS & the Sasakawa Peace Foundation are pleased to announce the next event in the Community Conversations seminar series focused on the Sasebo Community! This event will feature Dr. Kyoko Hatakeyama, of the University of Niigata who will lead us in a discussion around the importance and volatility of the Senkaku Islands.
The Japan-US alliance is facing a new challenge: China’s growing military presence in the maritime domain. China’s assertiveness challenges the current regional order and Japan’s territory—the Senkaku Islands. Examining the impacts of the Senkaku issue on the alliance, Dr. Hatakeyama will argue that the Senkaku islands are strategically important for the alliance but are also a source of conflict.
China's Quest for Control of the Cognitive Domain and Grey Zone Situations
YCAPS-SPF Community Conversations Series (Yokosuka In-Person)
25 January 2023 – 17:30 (Japan)
How is China conducting cognitive domain operations and maritime gray zone operations? China has utilized non-military means such as psychological warfare and maritime paramilitary forces to achieve strategic and tactical goals. Most notably, the Xi regime has enhanced the use of such means through sweeping organizational reforms. Understanding these actions will provide a clearer view of the strategic challenges posed by China. Dr. Shinji Yamaguchi of the National Institute for Defense Studies (NIDS) will lead us in a discussion on this important regional challenge.
Has Japan Finally Become a Reliable Partner? A Look at the Evolution of Japan's Security Policy
YCAPS-SPF Community Conversations Series (Misawa In-Person)
23 January 2023 – 17:30 (Japan)
The Eisenhower administration was worried about Japan’s neutralism even during the 1950s. In addition, the powerful feelings of pacifism within Japan kept the Japanese military budget low. Such a policy was allowed to continue because the US was powerful, and it did not have to expect any military contribution by Japan. As a result, in 1978, Japan and the US crafted defense guidelines to defend Japanese territories but they barely discussed what to do with neighboring areas. Such times of contented acceptance of Japan’s passivity ended many decades ago and the US now expects Japan to share responsibilities, especially for regional security.
This talk by Dr. Nakatsuji will explore and clarify the current state of Japan-US security collaboration and discuss the evolution of Japan’s security policy.
"Hakkodasan" The World's Worst Mountaineering Disaster
YCAPS-SPF Community Conversations Series (Misawa In-Person)
14 December 2022 – 17:30 (Japan)
YCAPS & the Sasakawa Peace Foundation are pleased to announce the next event in the Community Conversations seminar series focused on the Misawa Community! This event will feature Satoshi Miyata(Director) and Robert Jefferson (Narrator) of the 2014 documentary film "Mount Hakkoda".
In 1902, 210 soldiers of the 5th Infantry Regiment of the Japanese Imperial Army set out on a 12 mile winter march around Hakkodasan to Tashiro Hot Spring. This is not an arduous mountain route. It should have been an easy approach to the hot spring at Tashiro. However, at a mere altitude of around 2,000 feet, the 5th regiment met with a disaster that claimed the lives of 199 men. The location of this disaster is only 35 miles from Misawa. What happened in Hakkodasan? What was the real cause of this disaster?
Modernizing Japan: The Role of Choshu in Japan's Nation-Building Process
YCAPS-SPF Community Conversations Series (Iwakuni In-Person)
10 December 2022 – 10:00 (Japan)
YCAPS & the Sasakawa Peace Foundation are pleased to announce the next event in the Community Conversations seminar series in the Iwakuni Community! This event will feature Professor Yuichiro Shimizu who will lead us on a journey through the role of Choshu in the modernization of Japan.
The Choshu-han has been said to have been the core power of the Meiji Revolution. So, what role did Choshu play in the nation-building process? Through discussing both prominent historical figures as well as major figures of the Meiji-born generation, Professor Shimizu will clarify the outsized role that Choshu has had in the development of modern Japan.
Standoff on the Korean Peninsula: What's Next?
YCAPS-SPF Community Conversations Series (Yokosuka In-Person)
5 December 2022 – 17:30 (Japan)
YCAPS & the Sasakawa Peace Foundation are pleased to announce the next event in the Community Conversations seminar series in the Yokosuka Community! This event will feature Dr. Narushige Michishita.
While North Korea continues to launch missiles and further its nuclear employment ambitions, South Korea is rapidly building its capabilities around the “Korean Massive Punishment and Retaliation” strategy. Who will prevail? What can the United States and Japan do to maintain peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula? Dr. Narushige Michishita of GRIPS will discuss the changing regional strategic equation and the role of the US-Japan Alliance within it.
China-Russia Relations in the Wake of the Russia-Ukraine War in 2022
YCAPS-SPF Community Conversations Series (Yokota In-Person)
16 November 2022 – 18:30 (Japan)
YCAPS & the Sasakawa Peace Foundation are pleased to announce the next event in the Community Conversations seminar series focused on the Yokota Community! This event will feature Mr. Taisuke Abiru, who will present on China-Russia relations in the wake of the Russia-Ukraine war in 2022. We will also be joined by Dr. Stephen Nagy who will join us and give comments.
Russia's national identity is that it must be a great power. Therefore, even after the collapse of the Soviet Union, it is still unacceptable for Russia to become a junior partner of the United States. The same would be true for Russia's relations with China, which the United States now sees as its only global competitor. However, such relations between Russia and China have started changing dramatically in the wake of the Russo-Ukraine war that broke out this year
The U.S.-Japan Alliance's Amphibious Future
YCAPS-SPF Community Conversations Series (Okinawa In-Person)
16 November 2022 – 18:30 (Japan)
The U.S.-Japan Alliance has been a keystone in building Japan's amphibious capabilities. Please Join us for our inaugural seminar in Okinawa looking forward towards further partnerships between the U.S. Marines and the Japanese Self Defense Force in amphibious capabilities. This event will feature General (ret.) Nozomu Yoshitomi. We will also be joined by Lieutenant General (ret.) Wallace "Chip" Gregson Jr. as a discussant who will add comments and views on the topic.
The Life and Times of Heihachiro Togo
YCAPS-SPF Community Conversations Series (Sasebo In-Person)
14 November 2022 – 18:30 (Japan)
YCAPS & the Sasakawa Peace Foundation are pleased to announce the next event in the Community Conversations seminar series in Sasebo! This event will feature Mr. Hiroshige Togo, a JMSDF veteran and grandson of Admiral Heihachiro Togo who will present on the life and times of Admiral Heihachiro Togo.
Mr. Togo will look at Admiral Togo's childhood education in Satsuma, the Admiral's experiences in the Boshin War, and give his family perspective on one of the most celebrated Japanese figures in modern history, painting a picture of what Japanese society was like from the end of the Edo period and into the Showa era.
America Encounters Hiroshima Again
YCAPS-SPF Community Conversations Series (via Zoom)
29 September 2022 – 19:00 (Japan)
Hiroshima was a symbol of Imperial Japan in the early 20th century. After August 1945, Hiroshima became a symbol of ambiguity for US-Japan relations. After former President Obama’s visit and now the coming G-7 summit, Dr. Koji Murata will discuss how Hiroshima may be poised to become a symbol of rapprochement between the two countries.
The Role of Misawa in the U.S. - Japan Alliance
YCAPS-SPF Community Conversations Series (via Zoom)
28 September 2022 – 19:00 (Japan)
YCAPS & the Sasakawa Peace Foundation are pleased to announce the next event in the Community Conversations seminar series focused on Misawa. This event event will feature General Sadamasa Oue. General Oue will draw upon his experience as a Commander of the Northern Air Defense Command at Misawa Airbase to talk about Misawa's role in the U.S.-Japan Alliance in the past as well as a view of the future.
Japanese Innovation and the Okinawa Institute of Science & Technology
YCAPS-SPF Community Conversations Series (via Zoom)
26 September 2022 – 19:00 (Japan)
In the 20th century, Japan was known as a land of technological innovation with its electronic "gadgets" fascinating the world. However, there is a sense that it has lost its innovative edge in the modern era. Yet, Japan still possesses remarkable resources in terms of technological and scientific know-how. Anna Nagamine, Manager of Business Development Section, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) will describe Japan's national policies to promote innovation and the roles of sci-tech "hubs" such as OIST. A native Okinawan, she will also describe the specific challenges and opportunities the current era of innovation pose for her prefecture.
Development of Yokosuka as a Naval Port City: 1860s - 1960s
YCAPS-SPF Community Conversations Series (via Zoom)
7 September 2022 – 19:00 (Japan)
Before the construction of the shipyards in the 1860s, Yokosuka was just a small village. However, after building, it became one of Japan's largest naval port cities, shaping Yokosuka's identity today. Dr. Inayoshi will explore Yokosuka's development process before WWII and how they utilized its heritage as a naval port after WWII.
Misawa's Role in Winning the Cold War: Implications for the Competition with China
YCAPS-SPF Community Conversations Series (via Zoom)
27 July 2022 – 19:00 (Japan)
YCAPS & the Sasakawa Peace Foundation are pleased to announce the continuation of the Community Conversations seminar series in Misawa. This event will feature Professor Narushige Michishita. Prof. Michishita will provide an overview of US-Japan combined air operations during the Cold War, and how that history relates to today’s competition with China.
The Significance of Yokosuka Base
YCAPS-SPF Community Conversations Series (via Zoom)
22 July 2022 – 19:00 (Japan)
YCAPS & the Sasakawa Peace Foundation are pleased to announce the continuation of the Community Conversations seminar series in Yokosuka. This event will feature Mr. Bonji Ohara, senior fellow at the Sasakawa Peace Foundation and security expert studying the US-Japan Alliance and Japanese security policy. Mr. Ohara will discuss the history and significance of Yokosuka base to the US-Japan Alliance.
The Ukraine War's impacts on the Extended Deterrence: Implications for USFJ
YCAPS-SPF Community Conversations Series (via Zoom)
14 July 2022 – 19:00 (Japan)
YCAPS & the Sasakawa Peace Foundation are pleased to announce the return of the Community Conversations seminar series in Yokota. The inaugural event will feature Dr. Tomonori Yoshizaki. Dr. Yoshizaki will discuss how the war in Ukraine may impact US-Japan bilateral coordination including extended deterrence not only in Europe but also USFJ and the Indo-Pacific.
The JMSDF Iwakuni Air Base: An Introductory Overview
YCAPS-SPF Community Conversations Series (via Zoom)
11 July 2022 – 19:00 (Japan)
YCAPS & the Sasakawa Peace Foundation are pleased to announce the debut of the Community Conversations seminar series in Iwakuni. The inaugural event will feature CDR Mariyo Murakami. CDR Murakami (Leader of Flight Division 811,Air Electronic Warfare Squadron 8) will discuss the history and significance of JMSDF Iwakuni Air Base and give an overview of the contemporary role of the Air Base as part of the US- Japan alliance.
History of Japanese Mine Warfare and "Kizuna" of Japan-U.S. Mine Warfare Forces
YCAPS-SPF Community Conversations Series (via Zoom)
06 July 2022 – 19:00 (Japan)
YCAPS & the Sasakawa Peace Foundation are pleased to announce the return of the Community Conversations seminar series in Sasebo. The inaugural event will feature Mr. Yasuhiro Kawakami. Mr. Kawakami (Rear Admiral Ret.) has served 32 years in the JMSDF, primarily in the Mine Warfare and Amphibious Warfare fields. He has also served five times as a commander and four times in Sasebo. He will discuss the history of Japanese Mine Warfare and the close cooperation between the Japan and U.S. Mine Warfare Forces after W.W.Ⅱ.
Okinawa in Japan's Paradoxical Security Policy and Politics
YCAPS-SPF Community Conversations Series (via Zoom)
22 June 2022 – 19:00 (Japan)
YCAPS & the Sasakawa Peace Foundation are pleased to announce the return of the Community Conversations seminar series in Okinawa. The inaugural event will feature Mr. Tsuneo Watanabe. Mr. Watanabe has observed Japanese security policy and politics as a researcher in both US and Japanese thinktanks for decades. He will discuss the history of Japanese security policy and politics in the context of the US military facility in Okinawa.
Additional Events to Be Announced Soon!
